LEE Clark issued an apology to the Shakers fans after his side’s under-par display in defeat at home to Bristol Rovers.

Bury could have been on the end of a heavier defeat had it not been for goalkeeper Joe Murphy.

The Irishman stood up well to a bombardment of 26 shots – 13 on target – as his side struggled to compete with the dominant Pirates.

After going into the break goalless, a Tom Lockyer header and Billy Bodin brace gave the visitors a well-deserved 3-0 lead.

And while two injury-time goals, from Jermaine Beckford and Nicky Ajose, made the scoreline more respectable, that did little to lighten Clark’s mood.

“The two late goals papered over the cracks,” he said. “If it wasn’t for my goalkeeper we could have been on the end of a record defeat at League One level.

“It was awful from start to finish. Defensively we were all over the shop.

“I apologise to the chairman and the board of directors and most importantly to the supporters.

“They don’t deserve to watch that. They pay good money and it’s an unacceptable performance.

“I’m not going to make excuses because it’s not possible to. We need to find solutions to the problems and we have lots of problems at the minute.”

Most of the 3,402-strong crowd left the ground before Bury’s two late goals.

Clark added: “The positives we’ll get out of the way quickly. My goalkeeper kept the score-line down, he was our best player.

“Young Tsun Dai was outstanding when he came on at half time, he showed a bit of courage to keep getting on the ball. My two strikers have got on the scoresheet so that’s the positives out of the way. The rest of it was unacceptable.”

“It was nothing to do with tactics. (It’s about) going to press the ball, going to stop the ball and being brave.

“We were 2-0 down with 12 minutes to go and we must have played six continuous back passes, you have got to try and rescue something from an awful performance.”

Match ratings

Bury (5-3-2): Murphy 7; Jones 5 (Humphrey 45, 4), Whitmore 5, Bruce 4 (Ismail 56, 5), Aldred 4, Leigh 5; Styles 4 (Dai 45, 6), Reilly 4, Bunn 4; Ajose 5, Beckford 5. Subs not used: Fasan, Thompson, Edwards, Lowe.

Bristol Rovers (4-3-3): Slocombe; Partington, Lockyer, Sweeney, Brown; Sercombe, Clarke, Lines (Sinclair 72); Bodin, Nichols (Telford 82), Harrison (Gaffney 72). Subs not used: Andre, Burn, Broom, Bola.

Referee: Carl Boyeson (East Yorkshire).

Attendance: 3,402 (546 visiting).